Seven crews are in the March, Doddington and Wisbech St Mary, some helping residents evacuate their homes. The fire service says they are helping at 60 properties affected by flooding.

Power cuts have also hit the area although the number of homes without electricity is now thought to be 450 rather than the 1,000 plus reported earlier.

Group Commander Ryan Stacey of Cambridgeshire service said: “We have received a high volume of calls in Cambridgeshire this afternoon relating to flooding.

“Between 1pm and 5.30pm, combined fire control received more than 115 calls relating to flooding incidents in the county. A majority of these were for the March area.

Flooding in Gresley Way, March, picture by reader Brodie Lyon

“We are prioritising calls and sending crews and pumping equipment to those who are identified as a risk to life.

“We have seven crews currently in the March, Doddington and Wisbech St Mary areas, assisting with evacuating residents, salvaging and pumping water out of homes. “The exact number of properties affected cannot be confirmed but we understand that we are assisting currently at least 60 properties.

“If you do not need to visit or pass through this area, then we would ask you to avoid it.”

He said the fire service has also received calls to reports of flooded properties in the areas of Bar Hill, Toft, Oakington, Caldecote, Swavesey and Rampton.

March Floods. Stonea rail underpass.. Picture: Steve

“This is a very busy time for all of our staff so once again, please only call 999 if there is an immediate risk to life,” he said. UK Power Networks engineers say they are working as quickly and as safely as possible in poor weather conditions to restore power to about 450 customers in the March area following a fault at one of our electricity substations.

A spokesman said: “The fault happened at about 2.45pm today and we are investigating the cause.

“We realise how difficult it can be to lose power and apologise for the inconvenience caused by this incident.”

Councillor James Palmer, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, has thrown his hat in the ring to become the new Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with hopes to “improve infrastructure and provide high quality housing for all”.